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Report Issued into Sex Abuse Allegations in Kildare and Leighlin Diocese

Leinster Leader
September 5, 2012

www.leinsterleader.ie/news/local/report-issued-into-sex-abuse-allegations-in-kildare-and-leighlin-diocese-1-4224985

Monsignor Brendan Byrne

Some 18 allegations of sexual abuse were made against 10 priests in the Kildare and Leighlin Diocese between January 1975 and May 2012.

That is according to the review published on Wednesday morning by the Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church.

Just two of these priests connected with the report are still alive, but neither are still ministering within the church.

"My thoughts today are with the survivors of abuse and with their families and I respectfully apologize to them for the hurt and offence they have carried and are still carrying," said Monsignor Brendan Byrne, Diocesan Administrator, in a statement Wednesday lunchtime.

The report into the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin is one of seven published by the Board today.

The report commented that the diocese has had "relatively few" cases to deal with. Of the 18 allegations addressed in the report, just one was made against a serving priest in the diocese in the last decade.

Monsignor Byrne has also committed to a schedule of child protection improvement measures to be implemented over coming months within the diocese.

Kildare and Leighlin has spent €115,617 on its child protection measures, covering counselling, training, legal fees and insurance.

The diocese has contributed over €340,000 to the settlement of two civil cases involving priests.




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